


Eclipse

by DalishCheese



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Accidental Kissing, Drabble, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Resolved Romantic Tension, Sort Of, accidental in the loosest sense, anyway have some nerds smooching, might rewrite it in the future, this is short but I really wanted to write their first kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 01:11:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11956575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DalishCheese/pseuds/DalishCheese
Summary: Gale notices that Martin is spreading himself a bit too thin, and decides he needs a break. One trip into the woods later, they find themselves covered in dirt and closer to one another than they're used to.





	Eclipse

_Three days._

For three whole days Martin remained hunched over the Mysterium Xarxes along with a cluttered mess of various books and notes. The only time he moved from his place at the makeshift desk was when he went to bed the first two nights--he didn't even bother the last night and simply settled for passing out between the pages of an old, thick book.

Gale made her way towards the commons inside Cloud Ruler Temple, no longer able to bear the sight of her dear friend, Martin, neglecting himself for the sake translating a book. She knew his work was important, but his health took priority to her above all else. 

She stopped at the end of his desk, standing directly in front of Martin.

"You need a break from thing. Now."

Martin's eyes remained on the pages laid out before him, barely paying any attention to the Altmer woman. "A break would be welcome," he mumbled, "I just need finish this section here."

Gale placed her hands on the desk, towering over the man across from her. " _Martin_ ," she said, her voice sounding more stern than before, but her features were laced with worry when he finally moved to look at her.

"Very well," he relented. "Just... promise me we won't be gone too long?"

Her face softened into something that resembled relief. "Of course, my friend, I promise," she said with a kind, sincere smile.

Martin couldn't help but smile in return. "All right. Give me a moment to change into something more suitable for a stroll, then we can set out."

Gale responded with a silent nod and moved to wait by the entrance to Cloud Ruler Temple. Once Martin was ready, the two left together on a secluded path that led into the woods.

* * *

What began as a "short break" developed into an extended outing. Time seemed to fly by as Gale and Martin walked together and chatted. It'd been a while since they last had time to simply relax and talk, and now that they had a chance, their conversation flowed effortlessly from one subject to another.

Martin had never felt this close to anyone before. Sure, he'd made plenty of friends during his life, but none of them held a candle to the connection that he had with Gale. Even with how chilly he was to her during their first meeting, Martin clicked with Gale almost immediately. As they traveled together they became fast friends, and by the time they reached Cloud Ruler Temple, Martin felt as if he'd known Gale for years. He'd never met anyone before with whom he got along so easily. Their relationship was special--and erred on the edge of something more as of late. Stolen glances from across the room. Shared looks that lasted just a moment too long. Warm smiles, different from the way they smiled at others. Feather-light touches--some accidental, some less so--that shot sparks beneath their skin. There was something new between them, hidden in plain sight, that neither the priest nor the mage would acknowledge. Their unspoken feelings were like water, threatening to overflow, behind a weak, crumbling dam that could break at any moment--it was only a matter of time until they finally gave in.

Coming upon a small clearing, Martin turned to look at Gale. "Do you mind if we stop here for a moment? I fear we may end up wandering the woods all night if we continue like this," he chuckled.

"Would that be so terrible?" Gale teased, lightly poking Martin's side with her elbow. He raised an eyebrow at her and smirked playfully in response, which made her giggle. "Sure, we can stop. I'll keep watch until you're ready to head back to the temple."

With that, Martin moved to stand under the shade of a nearby tree and stretched lazily. Gale stood just a few feet away, carefully monitoring the Imperial man and his surroundings for any signs of danger. The tree, she noticed, was old and leaning in Martin's direction. It looked as if it would crack and topple over any minute.

Unfortunately for Gale, it decided to do just that as Martin wasn't paying attention. With a loud snap, the the tree started to tip before the man below it had any time to react. She needed to do something, and fast.

"Martin, look out!" Gale lunged towards the Imperial heir without a trace of hesitation, tackling him out of the way before any harm could come to him. The two hit the ground with a thud, though it was unnoticeable compared to the sound of the tree crashing down behind them. 

Gale lifted propped herself up on her arms as her eyes scanned Martin for any signs of injury, only to find a very disoriented man covered in dirt. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Martin rolled onto his back beneath her, dusting himself off. "My clothes have certainly seen better days, but I'm fine," he chuckled. "I suppose I should thank...you....for..." his words trailed off as his eyes met Gale's. 

From where he lay under her, the Altmer woman looked angelic--like a holy vision sent by the divines themselves. The light of the sun above them illuminated the golden tresses that framed Gale's face, eclipsing into a halo that somehow made her more beautiful than he'd ever seen her before. Her face hovered just inches away from his, and Martin could feel the softness of her breath against his lips. His gaze darted between Gale's warm, brown eyes--deep and beckoning--and her soft, plump lips--slightly parted and overwhelmingly tempting.

For a few moments, the two lay still, like time itself had stopped. Neither dared to say a word, gazing upon one another as if they were in a trance.

It was unclear as to who moved first. 

Their faces slowly drifted towards each other, and their eyes fluttered shut as if by instinct. Martin paused just a hair's breadth away from Gale's lips, drawing out the moment for not even a second longer before Gale closed the distance between them and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. 

The softness of her lips was dizzying--almost maddening. She tasted sweet, like berries, and her hair smelled faintly of vanilla as it fell to surround them. Martin eagerly returned the kiss, his hands daring to caress Gale's cheeks, and she sighed against his mouth in response. All of his senses were overwhelmed by her, and it was so much better than he'd ever imagined.  _Gods_ , he'd wanted this for so long--and based on the way Gale kissed him, it seemed like she'd wanted it too.

The kiss seemed to last an eternity, yet not nearly long enough. 

The two parted with half-lidded eyes, still in a daze from what just transpired between them.

Martin was the first to break the silence. "You have no idea how badly I've wanted to do that," he whispered in between breaths, his thumb gently tracing Gale's cheekbone.

Her lips curled up into a small smile in response. "I think I have an idea."

"Oh?" Martin's thumb dropped to ghost over the shape of her lips.

"Mm-hmm," Gale hummed contentedly. She leaned in to rest her forehead against Martin's, watching him with a tender expression on her face.

They both knew they would be needed back at the temple soon, but for the moment they were happy to stay as they were. Oblivion crisis be damned--the world could wait just a little bit longer.

**Author's Note:**

> what can I say, I'm a sucker for cliche first kiss tropes. I know this is short, but I'm (slowly) trying to get into writing again so bear with me. 
> 
> tumblr: maharielavellan.tumblr.com


End file.
